Get help with your keyboard on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

iOS supports multiple languages and dialects, offering international keyboards and dictionaries. You can use the built-in keyboards in all apps, and you can change between multiple international keyboards.

Customize your keyboard

Unlike physical keyboards, you can change the format of a software keyboard. This will also change the dictionary used for auto-correction, the number of letters on the keyboard, and the arrangement of the keys (for languages with alternative keyboard layouts). The language of the keyboard also determines the language of the dictionary used for predictive text. Predictive text is available with software keyboards only.

You can add keyboards from Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards.

With some languages, you can change the key layout by tapping the language from Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, and selecting a language and then a layout.

iOS allows you to choose between multiple keyboard layouts to match the keys on your physical keyboard. You also have the option to use an alternative keyboard layout that doesn't match the keys on your physical keyboard.

Change the language

If more than one language is on, you can change the language while typing. Follow these steps:

Tap to choose the next language on your keyboard. The chosen language appears on the Space bar.

Touch and hold to display a menu of enabled keyboards. Drag to choose a new keyboard.

In iOS 6 and later, the language of the keyboard determines the language of the dictionary, if one is available for the language.

Define a word

To get the definition of a word, select the word and tap Define. The dictionary is a feature of the software keyboard only.

The dictionary is available in these languages:

English

Chinese (Simplified)

French

German

Italian

Japanese

Korean

Spanish

Dutch

Portuguese (Brazil)

Russian

Thai

Turkish

Use predictive text

With iOS, you can write and complete entire sentences with a few taps. As you type, you'll see choices for words and phrases you'd probably type next, based on your past conversations and writing style.

Predictive text works with these languages:

English (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and India)

French (France, Switzerland, and Canada)

German (Germany and Switzerland)

Italian

Portuguese (Brazil)

Spanish

Thai

Chinese (Simplified and Traditional)

Japanese

You can hide the suggestions and turn off predictive text when using these languages:

English (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and India)

French (France, Switzerland, and Canada)

German (Germany and Switzerland)

Italian

Portuguese (Brazil)

Spanish

Thai

Hide and show the suggestions

You'll get three word or phrase options to use while you're writing a message. To hide the suggestions, swipe down. To show the suggestions, swipe up.

Turn off predictive text

To turn off predictive text tap or press and hold and tap Predictive.

You can also turn off predictive text in Settings > General > Keyboard > Predictive.